The Wilmingtonian., 1887-02-19
The Grand Jury should Indict the
Gamblers.

| has done well in Its editorial of Saturday
last upon the subject of gambling in this
| city, when that journal compliments Fore
and ex-Assemblyman Robert G. Justis as
follows -
Zone of the good suggestions of which the
recent grand jury report, presented by Fore
man and ex- x-Assemblyman Justis last We'd
nesday was unusually full, will bear reading
over again. 1t runs thus
The grand jury would earnestly call the
attention of the Legislature to the alarming
growth of corruption in ohr general and pri-
mary elections by the free use of money,
fraudulent counting Of the ballots and the
stuffing of ballot boxes, debasing the man
| hood ofthe voters and rendering nugatory
the voice of the people, and would therefore
earnestly urge the present Legislature to
frame and pass such laws as would COM
pletely eradicate this growing evil.
| Pertinent to this it is expected that the
Senate committee having Mr. McWhorter's
primary elections bill in charge, will shortly
report it back to that body for action.''
The only difference we have with the
above sentiment is that the action of the
grand jury has not gone far enough instead
Of complaint being all that is placed upon
record an indictment clear and cean-cut is
what the citizens of Wilmington are entitled
| to hear from the grand inquest of Now Cas-.
tie county.
Complaint is but half measure, what is
needed Is an indictment. Gambling is a
great wrong existing in our midst. Few OF
our citizens have any idea to what enormous
extent the evil has been growing within even
the last twelve months. The declared
incompetency of Mayor Rhoads in the prem
ses has given a FLIP to the iniquity which
private citizens, did they have just con-
ception of what exists, would declare the
assertions not sober ones. The Mayor and
the Chief of Police have politely expressed
most emphatically their Determination to
uproot the evil. But what can they really
do Their hands are tied by legal process.
In other words it is openly admitted that
gambling is legitimate industry in viii
mington.
| The attention of our citizens Ia called to
what wac done Thursday last by the grand
jury of New Orleans, La, the story and its
surrounding incidents is, In so many points
identical with ours with the difference that
the Souther grand jury has at length boldly
indicted the gamblers of New Orleans who
hitherto were really more ssr i=gsis iptrench-
ed behind legal protection then are the gam
blers who infest Wilmington.
The whole story is reproduced as describ-
ed in New York Herald telegraphic dis
patch Of last week.
The indictment to-day February 10th, by
the 6, and jury of the proprietors of seventeen
| gambling houses was great surprise to the
majority of the fraternity and created no
little CONSERVATION on Royal and St. Charles
streets. The principal gamblers however,
were not astonished at the turn of affairs, as
they had been aware for more than week
that such movement was contemplated.
Gambling has been carried on in this city,
within certain prescribed limits, openly and
under the protection Of the police since 1881,
although it was contrary to the State law.
In the year mentioned Mayor Joseph Shakes
peare acting under the belief that it was i'm
possible to prevent the vice or to prevent the
police from being corrupted by the system
then in vogue, determined to enter into an
arrangement with the gamblers by which
they could ply their business without the
necessity of buying the police. and at the
same time secure some revenue from it to
the city, A conference with the principal
gamblers followed, in which they oheerfully
agreed to the Mayors terms and promised
10 pay certain sum each month into the
Mayors hand if permitted to carry on the
gambling games without interference by the
police. The Mayor on his part insisted that
the business must be confined within certain
limits, and ordered the police to break al
gambling houses outside the specified
bounds.
A handsome sum was realized by the cit.
under this arrangement. As the fund wat
one not recognized by law it was not bud
geted against by the Council, but was lef
at the Mayors disposal. Mayor Shakes
peare decided to expend it in providing 70
the necessities Of the aged poor An aims
house was purchased for this purpose ant
!, has been maintained ever sinse from th
the fund This almshouse contains over on
hundred inmates.
!. AS the agreement with Mayor Sheakes
peare was viola ion of State Law it was i'm
I mediately investigated by the grand jury
That body sustained the Mayor in his actor
holding with him that it was impossible t
break up gambling, and therefore the cit
ought to secure some revenue from the bus
ness, especially when the fund was to be d.
voted to such worthy purpose Mayo
Shakespeare's successors have ratified b
8 agreement with the gamblers, and they hay
continued TO pay into the Mayors ofiC